The Masimagam festival is celebrated in Puducherry in the months of February - March. The deities are bathed in the waters of "theerthavari" or Bay of Bengal. Idols from sixty four temples are brought in the early morning to the sea front near "Kuruchikuppam" in Pondicherry and given a ceremonial bath.
The auspicious "Nadhaswaram" is blown loud as an accompaniment to the colorful processions that take out the deities. Masi Magam is a propitious annual Hindu festival that is celebrated in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. As per the solar calendar it generally takes place between February & March on a full moon day.
Celebration of the Masimagam Festival
The devotees, who flock with the processions, take dip in the holy water of the sea with the faith that the immersion would actually wash away their sins. The whole of the sea shore in the Masi Magam Festival of Pondicherry becomes a fair ground. It is mostly celebrated by the fishermen community. Deities like Lord Sivasubramania, Swami Sri Sivasubramania Swami, Sri Aranganatha Swami and Sri Poyyamozhi Vinayakar from important temples attract most of the attention in this festival of Pondicherry.
It is also celebrated in "Vriddhachalam" apart from the "Kuruchikuppam" shore. People gather with the deities on the banks of Manimuktha to celebrate the Masi Magam. The food stalls, temporary shops selling knick knacks flock by the edge of the sea. The deities return to their respective temples in the evening through equally colorful processions.
A lot of people come down for this festival from near and far. There are several provisional stalls distributing free lunch and drinking water where the people are treated equally and with respect. These stalls are organized by some temples and also by philanthropists.
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